Apparatus for cutting tubes along rounded grooves



J. MUSY ETAL Jan'. 1, 1963 APPARATUS FOR CUTTING TUBES ALONG ROUNDED GROOVES Filed Jan. 4, 1961 winz , JNVENTORS= ITA/v Musy f/v/s 24mm/vf M M M M M United States Patent Op l i i 3,070,885 APPARATUS FOR CUTTING TUBES ALONG ROUNDED GRGVES Jean Musy, Lyon, and Denis Zannoni, Mions, France, as-

signors to Lamure & Cie, Lyon, France, a company of France Filed Jan. 4, 1961, Ser. No. 80,563 Claims priority, application France Jan. 5, 1960 2 Claims. (Cl. 30-102) The present invention relates to a pipe-cutter which produces an undulatory cut whereby the cut end of the pipe is shaped for engagement with the side of another pipe to form a T.

The chief feature of our novel apparatus resides in the fact that it includes a special cutting wheel, the cutting edge of which is sinusoidal or undulatory. The annular cutting edge departs rsinusoidally from a transverse -central plane perpendicular to the rotational axis of the Wheel. The cutting edge consists of two complete circumferentially extending sine Waves. Consequently, a single cutting operation executed yby the tool produces the cuts forming two desired diametrically opposed rounded grooves required for the assembled tubes to form a T.

The details of said apparatus and the advantages deriving therefrom will be understood readily from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawings illustrating, by Way of example and by no means in a restrictive sense, a practical embodiment of the invention. In said drawings:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional View of the pipecutter according to our invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-section through line A-A of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a further cross-section of the pipe-cutter through line B-B of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the cutting wheel.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the pipe-cutter shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a perspective View showing two pipes which have been cut by the pipe-cutter of FIGS. 1 and 5 assembled to form a T.

As illustrated in particular in FIGS. 1 -and 5, the body 1 of the machine pipe-cutter includes a front hook-shaped portion 2 and a rear cylindrical portion 3 forming a grip. The portions 2 and 3 are connected by a recessed portion 4 across which the pipe or tube to be cut is adapted to extend.

In the front hook-shaped section 2 are formed recesses 5 in which are revolvably housed four rollers 6 arranged in pairs on two superposed :spindles 7. It is apparent that when the pipe 8 illustrated in dot-and-dash lines engages said rollers, it bears against four generating lines in a tangential manner, which ensures its stability and perfect angular setting during operation of the apparatus (FIGS. 1 and 3).

In the rear cylindrical section 3 which is longitudinally bored at 9, there may slide a wheel-carrying member `1t) bifurcated at its inner end lto form a strap 11, while its other, outer end is provided with a blind longitudinal bore 12. The Wheel carrier 10 is provided with a longitudinal groove 13 in which is engaged the fiat end 14 of a guiding projection 15 carried by the body of the pipecutter, so as to prevent any rotation of the wheel carrier 10 during its sliding movement inside the bore 9.

The feeding movement of the wheel carrier 10 is controlled by a threaded tail-piece 16 screwed into -a cap 17 which is screwed in its turn into the threaded end of the bore 9 formed in the cylindrical section 3 of the body 1. The free inner end of the threaded tail-piece 16 enters the blind bore 12 in the Wheel carrier 10 and is Patented Jan. 1, 1963 rice held therein by a snap-ring 18. Between the bottom of the blind bore 12 and the inner end of the tail-piece 16 there is disposed a bearing or anti-friction member constituted by a ball 19.

The cutting wheel 20 is carried between the flanges of the strap 11 by the Wheel carrier 10 and it revolves freely over its spindle 21 extending across said flanges. The outline of said wheel 20 is novel as provided by its peripheral cutting edge 22, as clearly apparent from inspection of FIGS. 2 and 4. As a matter of fact, said wheel is cut in a manner such that it has an annular ridge 22 in the shape of two sine waves, the four crests of which are equally circumferentially spaced and which depart With equal amplitudes from its medial plane 23, so as to produce an outline corresponding to a rounded groove. Obviously, the diameter and thickness of the wheel 20 are not necessarily those Which have been illustrated, but must conform to the diameter of the pipe to be cut.

In addition, said wheel is provided with ra transverse port such as that illustrated at 24 in FIG. 5 and which may register with further ports 25 provided in rthe flanges of the strap 11. By inserting a pin in said ports 24 and 25, it is thus possible to lock the cutter wheel 20 in a predetermined angular position prior to commencement of the cutting operation.

The operation of the apparatus is the same as that of a conventional pipe-cutter. It is sufficient to lock the pipe to be cut inside a vise and to make the apparatus engage the outer surface of the pipe, while advancing the cutting wheel 20 by rotation of the tail-piece 16. The pipe is then cut by turning the pipe-cutter around the tube and thus making the cutting wheel 20 gradually form the cut.

In order to provide a cut having the desired undulatory shape which is in register at both ends of a pipe, it is necessary to allow the machine to drop underneath the pipe to provide a reference starting position, the cutting wheel 20 being held locked by means of a pin as described. When the cutting Wheel is clamped in position and then released of `its pin, the cutting of one end of the pipe is obtained by making the apparatus rotate as previously described, care being taken to screw the tail-piece 16 inwardly at each revolution so as to produce the desired feeding movement of the Wheel 20 into the pipe to be cut.

Lastly, Without releasing the pipe from the vise7 the pipe-cutter is returned to downward initial position at a portion of the pipe corresponding to a predetermined desired length. It is necessary to then return the pin into engagement, so as to lock the cutting wheel 20 in its reference starting, whereby the two undulatory cuts at both ends of the pipe are cut in register with each other. After releasing again the wheel 20 by removing the pin, the second cut at the other end of the pipe is made as previously described.

It will be readily understood that the pipe-cutter, in a single operation, forms an undulatory cut and avoids the need for modifying the straight cut obtained in accordance with conventional methods. Our improved arrangement allows also obtaining the bevel required for welding `and the perfect fitting of the tube with reference to the cooperating tube lin their relative angular positions. Lastly, it facilitates Welding or soldering by reason of the accurate tting of the ends of the pipes with reference to each other. This results in a substantial saving of time, a simplification in handling, and convenient manipulation.

Furthermore, the apparatus described allows always cutting in a single operation the tubes at the desired angle by means of a special cutting Wheel designed in accordance with our invention. Similarly, it is possible with the 3 apparatus described, to subs-titute a cutting wheel, formed of appropriate material so as to cut any type of steel, copper or the like.

Furthermore, the cutting wheel may be used in a machine tooi, if desired.

While we have shown and described what we believe to be the best embodiments of our invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modications may be made therein without departing from Ithe spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. A pipe cutter comprising a cutting wheel having an annular cutting edge in the shape of two complete circumferentially extending sine waves which depart with equal peak amplitudes from a central plane perpendicular to the rotational axis of said wheel; means for producing relative rotational movement between said wheel and a pipe to be cut, said movement causing said cutting edge rollingly and progressively to engage the complete circumierence `of said pipe; and means for feeding said cutting edge radially inwardly into said pipe, the free end of said pipe, when cut, being shaped for lateral engagement with another pipe to form a T.

2. A pipe cutter according `to claim 1, further compris-l ing releasable means for locking said wheel in a predetermined position of rotation, whereby said wheel and said pipe may be brought into a desired initial relationship prior to commencement of the cutting operation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,028,605 Potter June 4, 1912 1,256,556 Hedges Feb. 19, 1918 1,636,722 Thibaudeau July 26, 1927 

1. A PIPE CUTTER COMPRISING A CUTTING WHEEL HAVING AN ANNULAR CUTTING EDGE IN THE SHAPE OF TWO COMPLETE CIRCUMFERENTIALLY EXTENDING SINE WAVES WHICH DEPART WITH EQUAL PEAK AMPLITUDES FROM A CENTRAL PLANE PERPENDICULAR TO THE ROTATIONAL AXIS OF SAID WHEEL; MEANS FOR PRODUCING RELATIVE ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID WHEEL AND A PIPE TO BE CUT, SAID MOVEMENT CAUSING SAID CUTTING EDGE ROLLINGLY AND PROGRESSIVELY TO ENGAGE THE COMPLETE CIRCUMFERENCE OF SAID PIPE; AND MEANS FOR FEEDING SAID CUTTING EDGE RADIALLY INWARDLY INTO SAID PIPE, THE FREE END OF SAID PIPE, WHEN CUT, BEING SHAPED FOR LATERAL ENGAGEMENT WITH ANOTHER PIPE TO FORM A T. 